For Chris Carter, Slimmer is Better

The offseason doesn’t differentiate much across the country. From Washington State to Miami, Texas to Ohio State and at mid-tier programs in between, the summer months are spent on gelling as units and team bonding.

Chris Carter’s offseason was decidedly different. He was at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center along with his teammates, but his routine also consisted of losing weight – lots of it.

When fans catch a glimpse of No. 72 come Aug. 31, the figure, outlined in hues of scarlet and gray, will be unrecognizable. Carter has shed the weight of a small child since he arrived at Ohio State. The 400-plus pound behemoth is down to 341.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, the same can be said for getting Carter into playing shape. But you won’t find a more humble and thankful individual.

“You stray from the path every once in a while, but it’s very hard,” Carter said. “It’s been a two-year process for me to be where I am now. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

The weight disappeared by altering his eating habits and undergoing a rigorous workout regimen.

During his senior year at John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland, Carter, then an offensive lineman, weighed 380 pounds. It didn’t slow down his progression, though; he was rated at one of the top guards in the nation. Carter was also a second-team all-state selection and the MVP of the Senate League.

But he was arrested one day before National Signing Day, in 2011, for suspicion of sexual imposition after he was accused of fondling girls while pretending to measure them for ROTC uniforms. The charges were dropped a week later and Carter signed with the Buckeyes at a later date in February.

Another setback came when he enrolled at Ohio State. Carter weighed more than 400 pounds, leading to a redshirt season. When Meyer was hired, Carter’s name was thrown around as a transfer candidate. Instead, he took the recommendations from nutritionist Sarah Wick, strength coach Mickey Marotti and other support staff personnel and acted on them.

“They worked me to the point where I couldn’t walk down stairs.”

“She’s like my step-mother,” Carter said of Wick. “She’s been integral in me getting my weight right. We confer on what I should and shouldn’t eat from a calorie and nutritional standpoint. She has played a very meaningful role in my current situation and health.

“One of my major road blocks was my health and cardiovascular level, which I give all the props and credit to Coach Mick, Coach [Kenny] Parker, and Coach [Anthony] Schlegel, especially. They worked me to the point where I couldn’t walk down stairs. They were able to encourage me and get this moment in sight, where I can trot out that tunnel and do something on the team. But it all rested upon me.”

Meyer gave Carter an ultimatum: weigh more than 340 pounds, and you won’t play for Ohio State. Carter, who has since moved to the defensive line, is still over that mark, but he should be below it once the season starts. Meyer and defensive line coach Mike Vrabel have discovered how good a competitor Carter is. He’s been a factor on defense during fall camp, working his way into the interior D-line rotation.

“It’s rewarding,” Carter said, “but even more rewarding is knowing I have teammates that will be able to depend on me. They know I’ve been working and have shown I want to be here and make an impact. That will make all of us work harder. It’s a chain.”

And then there is graduate assistant Vince Oghobaase, who works primarily with the defensive line. The former Duke standout is in his first season at Ohio State and has quickly made his presence felt. Attend a practice and it’s difficult not to hear his booming voice.

“I’ve had a huge change in my technique. [Oghobaase] is very vocal and has tons of knowledge playing on the interior,” Carter said. “He and Coach Vrabel are like yin and yang. It’s a perfect balance of inside hand tricks and speed from the outside.”

On the field, Carter has improved footwork thanks to his newfound slenderness. Trying to move around and navigate opposing linemen when you weigh 400 pounds is not recommended, unless you’re a Sumo wrestler. His lifestyle is improved away from football, as well. Carter suffers from sleep apnea, a condition that has seen dramatic improvements since his weight loss.

Good thing, too. Amid all the excitement for the coming season is the reality of fall camp. There’s little time to rest when a national championship is on the menu. But that objective is still far into the future.

“Camp is always going to be intense,” Carter said. “We aren’t concentrating on what’s down the line. We’re looking forward to the next day and improving tomorrow. That’s been the concentration and tempo of where we are trying to go.”

Always pulled for this kid. Has seemed to always be a humble type. He has had to work very hard to lose 60 lbs. Must have that desire in his heart. Keep your great attitude but be a beast between the white lines Mr. Carter. Good luck.

Getting to the 340 playing weight standard should not be a problem. If his desire to perform on the field is equal to or greater than getting himself to reach the standard, we should expect very good returns this year.

inside run stuffer. Didn't "Big Daddy" wear #72 as well ? At least on paper, this year's defensive line is stacking up to be a unit worth reckoning with. With so many new faces going to get playing time in 2013, the "next wave" of Buckeyes is getting me hyped for the season to start.

Good to hear of this young man putting forth the effort that he has. Sounds like it was critical not only for his football aspirations, but for living better in general. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the program still bringing him on after the story of his lewd and degrading antics in high school. Even with no charges being filed, what he did was pretty much assault. That said, as he's in the program, I wish him the best and hope he has made the most of this opportunity.

I still couldn't see why he and Big Hank weren't the middle of the blocking units. Those 2 put together could bust through a line like butter. But I guess he still had to keep working and we'll see what he can do this year.
Lets see, him with Schutt on one side and Billy Price on the other would be a nasty interior for a blocking line. Then put Bosa and Washington outside of them and suround them with Roby, Spence and whoever else can burn off the line and I see OSU getting at least 3 blocked kicks this year, if not double that!
He might not be able to start with Bennett and Schutt in front of him but he can be a huge part in the special teams units. Reason I leave Bennett off is because I just see him as too much of a tweener than a pure rusher or power player. Gotta have beef in the middle and ultra speed off the edge.

He's big even by SEC standards LOL. Great story about his transformation. Certainly hope the one incident (charges were dropped I realize) is the last hint we have of any negative behavior regarding Carter and he has a great career at tOSU.

The will to win is not as important as the will to prepare to win. -- Woody Hayes

There's a picture of him checking in for camp and he looked in incredible shape, couldn't believe it was him. Hes going to be a beast in the middle of the line this year, not to mention he'll be able to stay on the field now he's in shape. Can't wait to see him come in and dominate. Keep working hard Chris.

I had the same thought when I saw that picture. He could really help this team if he is able to move well enough, I would think.
Carter also got a special mention on the BTN Ohio State preview show crew the other night, and those guys had in fact been there to watch the team practice, FWIW.